Beasts Final Prep Questions

Why did Mary Shelley subtitle her novel “The Modern Prometheus”? In other words, who was Prometheus and why is he an appropriate reference for the story?

Mary Shelley subtitled her novel “The Modern Prometheus” after Prometheus in Greek history/mythology. She did this to convey an understanding that Prometheus and her character Victor Frankenstein share similar attributes in the way of doing things that step over boundaries. In the mythology Prometheus steals fire from the gods and as a result is punished with eternal punishment because he overstepped. In the story of Frankenstein, Victor oversteps by messing with the creation of life. He tries to use scientific experimentation to create a new life form and, in the process, faces grave consequences. When she calls it “The Modern Prometheus” she is saying that Victor is trying to reach a level of knowledge and control life itself which is not possible. By calling it this she displays a warning to the reader that overstepping can cause unforeseen consequences and therefore this subtitle acts as a warning.

What is Robert Walton’s mission in Frankenstein? In other words, where is he going and why is he seeking to go there?

In Frankenstein Robert Walton’s mission is an expedition through a snow and ice environment. Robert travels by vessel through the pacific to explore the world and discover new scientific information. In the story of Frankenstein Robert is sending letters to his sister. Through these letters the story of Victor Frankenstein is told.

Who is Henry Clerval in Frankenstein? What does he study at university, and why is he studying this set of subjects?

Henry Clerval in the story of Frankenstein is Victor’s close friend. They met while studying at the University of Ingolstadt where Henry is studying more art focussed classes such as literature and writing. This is the opposite of Victor who primarily studies sciences. Henry studies subjects such as these because he is interested in the cultural aspects of education and find great pleasure in the writings of poets and other writers.

Who is Elizabeth Lavenza? What is her relationship to Victor Frankenstein? What happens to her at the end of the novel?

Elizabeth Lavenze is the fiancée of Victor Frankenstein. Elizabeth is adopted by the Frankenstein family and is raised alongside Victor. Throughout their lives Victor and Elizabeth grow a close personal connection which is what leads to their romantic involvement with each other. In the story of Frankenstein Elizabeth and Victor are supposed to marry but tragedy strikes when Victor’s creation starts seeking revenge. Not only does Victor scientific experiments strain his relationship with Elizabeth, but his creature also ends up killing her on their wedding night.  

Name one of the three books Frankenstein’s creature reads while he is hiding in the room next to the cottage.

One book that Frankenstein reads while hiding in his room next to the cabin is “Paradise Lost’. Out of the satchel the creature also gets the books “Plutarch Lives” and “Sorrows of Werter”. Through these books the creature learns about human life and shapes his understanding of himself.

What does the creature ask Victor to do for him?

The creature asks Victor to create a female companion for him. The creature wants someone who he can share his experiences. The creature hopes with a female companion he can get away from the humans and find a life with his newfound companion.

Is Frankenstein’s creature a being or a beast? In your answer, give specific references to the story to support your argument.

The creature in Frankenstein is complicated by the fact that he evolves and changes throughout the story. In the beginning the reader is led to believe that the creature is intelligent and capable of self-control (two factors that determine a being) but it is later revealed that he is not fully capable of these things. The creature even displays a desire to have companionship which is very much a being like attitude. As the story goes on the creature faces rejection and isolation which causes it to feel resentment and hate towards the humans, because of this he turns violent and begins killing therefore showing he has no self-control and determining the creature is a beast.

In H. P. Lovecraft’s story “The Colour out of Space,” who is the narrator? In other words, what is the narrator’s job, and why is he in the region of “the blasted heath”?

In “The Color Out of Space” the narrator is never explicitly named but what he does is discussed. We learn throughout the story that the narrator is conducting a survey around Arkham (Massachusetts). The narrator is there to assess the land and discover if it is suitable for a new water reservoir. The narrator is in the region of “the blasted heath” for is surveying job. In this region he is asking questions to the population and learning more about the land. Through his surveying job he is lead to Gardner farm where the story then expands.

Who is Ammi Pierce, and why is he an appropriate character to relate the events of “the colour out of space”? In other words, what was his relationship to Nahum Gardner and what role did he play in the events that befell the Gardner family?

In “The Color out of Space” Ammi Pierce is a local farmer and is neighbors with Nahum Gardner and the Gardner family. As the story unfolds, he becomes a more prominent character as he is one of the survivors of the events that take place on Gardner Farm. Ammi serves the purpose of telling the story of the events that happen at the Gardner Farm (the meteorite). As he is close neighbors with the Gardner family and friends with Nahum he is perfect to talk about all the bizarre occurrences that take place on the farm. Ammi helps the reader to understand how terrifying and horrific the events on the farm were/are.